Folding chair



June 3, 1952 Filed Aug. 13, 1947 R. G. CUDlNl FOLDING CHAIR 2SHEETS--SHEET l IN VEN TOR.

R. G. CUDINI June 3, 1952 FOLDING CHAIR 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed Aug. 15,1947 Q. 5 MM Y. WU W 0 2 MM. 1 W W Patented June 3, 1952 FOLDING CHAIRRoger G. Cudini, Birmingham, Mich., assignor to Moynahan Bronze Company,Detroit, Mich, a

corporation of Michigan Application August 13, 1947, Serial No. 768,444

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to folding chairs.

The primary object of the present invention is J to provide alightweight folding chair which is comfortable in its set-up position,and which may be folded to a compact size for handling and storage.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent from the followingspecification, the drawings relating thereto, and from the claimshereinafter set forth.

'In the drawings in which like numerals are used to designate like partsin the several views throughout:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a folding chair embodyingfeatures of the present invention and showing the chair in its upright,or set up, position;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the chair shown in Figure 1 andshowing such chair in its' completely folded position;

Figure 3 is a rear perspective view of the chair shown in Figure 1:

Figure 4 is a side perspective view of the chair shown in Figure 1 andshowing it in a partly folded position;

Figure 5 is an enlarged cross sectional view, taken substantially alongthe line 5-5 of Figure 1; and

Figure 6 is an enlarged cross sectional view, taken substantially alongthe line 6-6 of Figure 2.

The folding chair of the present invention is primarily for use inpassenger railroad trains, although it is also adapted for other useswhere it is desired to fold the chair into a compact size when not inuse for storage. The framework and operating links of the presentinvention are preferably made of extruded aluminum tubing so that thechair will be light in weight and have an attractive appearance.

Referring to the drawings, the chair comprises a rigid seat frame It),having a front member l2 joined to side members l4 and a transverse rearmember It. An upholstered seat cushion I8 is supported on and suitablysecured to the seat frame I6.

Arm rests are disposed at each side of the chair and include upper armrest members 26 joined to the seat frame l6 adjacent the front and rearedges thereof by rigid upright frame members 22 and 24. The members 22and 24 are joined to the arm rest members by curved portions 26 and 28,respectively. The arm rests 20 are, therefore, rigid with the seat frameIt. Upholstered arm rest pads 36 are disposed on 2 and suitably securedto the arm rest members 26.

An upholstered seat back 32 is pivotally connected to the arm rest frameby means of a pivot pin 34. A back 32 is disposed between the arm restsand pivotally connected thereto at the curved portions 28. The backcushion 32 may comprise side frame members 36 over which theupholstering is formed. Aligned openings 38 are formed in the back framemembers 36 within which pivot bearings 40 are received and securedthereto by screws received within flanges formed on the bearings 40. Atubular pivot member 42 extends across the back and is rotatablyreceived within the bearings 40. The ends of the tubular member 42 aretapped for the reception of the pivot bolt 34. The head of the pivotbolt 34 is received within a recess formed in the curved portion 28 andthe back 32 is thus pivotally supported on the transverse tubular member42. A finished button 44 may cover the recess formed in the curvedportion 28.

Upstanding front legs 46 are disposed adjacent each of the front cornersof the seat and forwardly and upwardly-directed rear legs 48 aredisposed adjacent each side of the seat. Front legs 46 are braced bytransverse frame member 41, and the rear legs 48 are braced bytransverse member 49. The upper ends of the front legs 46 and the rearlegs 48, at each side of the chair, are pivotally connected to the sidemembers I4 of the seat frame by a common pivot pin 58.

Linkage means are provided for interconnecting the front legs 46 and therear legs 48 with the seat back 32 so that upon forward pivotal movementof the back 32, the front and rear legs are folded against the undersideof the seat frame II] to the position shown in Figure 2. Similar linkagemeans are provided at each side of the chair, and each of said linkagemeans includes a curved link 52 having the upper end thereof pivotallyconnected to the side of the seat back 32 by means of a pivot 54 locatedadjacent the bottom edge of the seat back 32. The lower end of each link52 is pivotally connected by means of the pivot pin 56, with itsadjacent side leg 48 at a position disposed between the ends of saidside legs. Another link 58 has its rear end pivotally connected to itsadjacent link by a pivot pin 66 at a point between the pivots 54 and 56.The forward end of each link 58 is pivotally connectedby means of apivot pin 62 with its adjacent front leg intermediate the ends thereof.Pivot points of the links and legs are so located as to support the legsin an upright position, as shown in Figure 1, and fold the legs to theposition shown in Figure 2 upon forward pivotal movement of the back 32.

The back 32 is held in its upright position by means of a releasablecatch. Such catch includes a fiat spring 64 located midway between thesides of the chair, and having its forward end fixed to the seat frame.A projection 66 is formed on the top surface of the spring 84 and isadapted to be received within a complementary recess formed in the underedge of the seat back 32. Thus, when the spring 64 is depressed, theprojection 66 is released from the recess and the seat back 32 isreleased for forward pivotal movement. Upon rearward pivotal movementofthe seat, the spring 64 is automatically forced to a down position so 7that the projection 56 will snap into the recess and lock the back inits upright position until released.

For ease in handling, a finger grip is formed on the backof the seatback. Such finger grip may be in the form of a dish-shaped member 68which is secured to the back end having a plate 10 partly covering thedepressionformed in the member 68 so that the fingers may grip themember 10 within the depression.

Formal changes may be madein the specific embodiment of the inventiondisclosed without departing from the spirit and substance of theinvention, the scope of which is commensurate with the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A folding chair comprising a seat frame, an upholstered seat cushionsupported on and secured to said seat frame, rigid arm rest framessecured to said seat frame at opposite sides thereof, arm rest pads onsaid arm rest frames, an upholstered seat back disposed between said armrest frames and pivotally connected thereto in spaced relation above thelower edge of said back and in spaced relation above said seat frame sothat said back may be pivoted forwardly to a position between said armrest frames and below the upper surfaces of said arm rest pads, saidback being so proportioned that in the setup position of said chair thelower edge of said back is disposed adjacent the rear of said seatframe, front legs having the upper ends thereof pivotally con nected tosaid seat frame adjacent the front thereof, back legs extendingforwardly and pivotally connected to the seat frame adjacent the frontthereof, and a linkage member pivotally connected to the back adjacentsaid lower edge thereof and pivotally connected to one of said back legsintermediate the ends thereof, and another linkage member pivotallyconnected to said last named linkage member intermediate the endsthereof and pivotally connected to one of said front legs intermediatethe ends thereof, to fold said legs upon pivotalmovement of said back tosaid position between said arm rest frames.

2. A folding chair comprising a seat frame, an upholstered seat cushionsupported on and secured to said seat frame, rigid arm rest framessecured to said seat frame at opposite sides thereof, arm rest pads onsaid arm rest frames, an upholstered seat back disposed between said armrest frames and pivotally connected thereto in spaced relation-above thelower edge of said back and in spaced relation above said seat frame sothat said back may be pivoted forwardly to a position between said armrest frames and below the uppersurfaces .of said arm rest pads, saidback being so proportioned that in the setup position of said chair thelower edge of said back is disposed adjacent the rear of said seatframe, front legs having. the upper ends thereof pivotally connected tosaid seat frame adjacent the front thereof, back legs extendingforwardly and pivotally connected to the seat frame adjacent the frontthereof, and linkage means interconnecting the back adjacent said loweredge thereof with said front legs and said rear legs to fold said legsupon pivotal movement of said back to said position between said armrest frames, said back, said rear legs, and said arm rest frames beingso constructed and arranged that when said back is pivoted tosaidposition said lower edge of said back is substantially aligned with thefree ends of said rear legs.

ROGER G. CUDINI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,714,323 Simmons May 21, 19291,365,139 R-astetter June 28, 1932 1,984,699 Rastetter Dec. 18, 19342,508,607 'Hill May 23, 1950 2,517,039 Shook Aug. 1, 1950

